Suspension-bridge



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SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

No. 428,838. lajented May 20, 1890.

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SUSPENSION BRIDGE. No.428,3 38. Patented May 20, 1890.

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SUSPENSION BRIDGE. No. 428,338. Patented May 20,1890.

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JAMES OLIVER HILL, OF NAVASOTA, TEXAS..

SUSPENSION-BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,338, dated May 20, 1890.

Application filed January 25, 1890. Serial No. 338,295. (No model.)

To aflwwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES OLIVER HILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Navasota, in the county of Grimes and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Suspension-Bridge, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to suspensionbridges; and among the objects in view are to increase the strength of the same and reduce the n-umber of parts and simplify the general construction of the same.

With these general objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a bridge constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 a transverse section of the same on line Fig. 4, an end elevation; Fig. 5, a detail in perspective of one of the trusses; Fig. 6, a transverse section in detail of one of the same; Fig. 7,ade tail in vertical longitudinal section of one of the pillars and its adjacent parts. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the truss.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 represents the opposite abutments located upon the opposite banks of the stream to be spanned, which may be of any suitable form of Inasonry best adapted for this character of bridge and other controlling circumstances, and 2 represents the opposite or parallel connecting-beams, the ends of which rest upon the abutment. Each of the beams is formed of opposite jointed series of metallic sections 3, of angle-iron, E-shaped in crosssection and having their backs arranged toward each other, the end flanges of each section of each series being bolted together, as at 4, so as to form continuous pieces, the opposite series being connected by an upper metallic plate 5, bolted at intervals to the upper flange of the sections, whereby a strong, rigid, yet comparatively light beam is provided at each side of the bridge.

6 represents a series of transverse t-russes, which are arranged at intervals under the beams 2. Each of the trusses is oblong in shape and comprises two sections, each of which is formed of L-shaped angle-iron, the adjacent iianges of which are securely bolted together, and each section of the truss has its parallel sides maintained in perfect parallelism by means of short cross-braces 7, the ends of which are bolted to the flanges of the same. Trusses as thus constructed are located transversely under the beams at intervals between the abutments, and they are of such length compared with the space between the beams as to proj ect at a considerable distance beyond each side of the beams, and are securely connected thereto by bolts passing through the lower flanges of the E-shaped sections or angle-irons into the upper flanges of the L- shaped trusses, as shown at 8. Opposite each of the trusses there extend upwardly from the beam opposite pairs of short standards 9, and connecting each series of the same is a railing 10, formed of light angle-iron L-shaped in cross-section. l

11 represents inclined braces outwardly disposed from the upper end of each of the standards 9, and having their lower ends bolted, as at 12, to the extremity of a corresponding truss.

13 represents the opposite pillars, one of which is Inounted at each end of each of the beams, and the same is preferably of angleiron of an E shape in cross-section. From the upper end of each of the pillars there projects inwardly an inclined brace 14, also formed of E-shaped angle-iron, and having its lower end bolted, as at 15,` to the upper plate 5 of the beam 2'. The upper ends of the braces'lt and the pillars 13 are provided with opposite pairs of openings 16, and bolted between the apices ofthe pillars and braces and below the openings are arched castings 17. The ends of the beams below the pillars are provided with similar arched castings 18.

19 represents opposite pairs of suspensioncables, said cables being endless and pro` vided at intervals with turn-buckles 20,'wherebytheir tension may be increased or decreased, as desired. The cables, as before stated, are endless, and each is passed through the openings 16 and over the castings 17 and 18,wl1ere by they are prevented from binding or wearing in moving back and forth over the cast- TOO 1o tral truss of the bridge.

5 5 of each of the beams and between the E- shaped angle-sections. These openings occur at equidistant points from the center of the bridge, and after the cables have been passed through the same they decline under the ceu- The opposite halves of the cables pass through the openings 16, formed in the upper ends of the pillars, over the arched castings 18, and under the ends of the beams, and consequently over the abutments, and then under the entire series of trusses and directly under each of the beams'. By this construction it will be apparent that I have obviated the use of a considerable number of angle-irons, numerous braces, cables,

2o &c., and their necessary accessories, and that at a greatly-reduced cost, and that the same is in strict conformity with the latest and bestknown principles of overcoming, resisting, and supporting immense weights at distances from either end of a suspension bridge or span, the

Weight all being transferred from intermediate portions of the span to the abutments located upon the opposite banks of the stream.

Between each pair of trusses there is arranged a pair of diagonal and crossing trussrods 23, serving to space the trusses apart and form a rigid series.

From the upper halves of the suspensioncables 19 there depends a series of slings 24,

the lower end of each of which takes under and supports one end of a girder 6.

Having described my invention, what I claim isl. In a bridge ot the class described, the

4o combination, with the abutments, of the opposite beams, each ot which is formed of a pair of series of E-shaped angle-irons bolted together and to a superimposed metal plate, a series of transverse trusses, each of which is formed of a pair of oblong` frames formed 5o trusses and provided with a hand-rail, and a series of inclined braces declining from the upper ends of the standards to the outer ends ,fr of the trusses, substantially as specified.

2. In a suspension-bridge, the combination,

with the opposite abutments and opposite parallel beams resting thereon, of the series of transverse trusses supporting the beams, the opposite pillars arranged at the ends of the beams, the braces declining from the up- 6o per ends of the pillars and connected to the beams, openings formed in the braces and pillars and provided with arched castings and opposite suspen sion-cables passing through the openings and over the castings, the upper portions ot the cables declining through the beams and taking under the central truss, and the opposite portion of said cables talcing through the opposite openings formed in the pillars and over the ends ot' the beams and under the entire series of trusses, said cables being endless, substantially as specified.

3. In a suspension-bridge, the combination, with the opposite abutments, of the opposite parallel beams having their ends resting thereon', each of said beams comprising two series of angle-irons arranged opposite to each other and of an E shape in cross-section, and a superimposed plate having openings at points equidistant from their centers, arched castings secured to the ends of the beams, a series of transverse trusses formed of opposite longitudinal sections of L-shaped angle-iron bolted together and provided with cross-braces and having their upper iianges bolted to the lower iianges of the beams, said trusses extending at each side of the beams and being of oblong shape, standards mounted on theV beams and corresponding with the trusses, inclined braces connecting the upper ends of the standards with the outer ends of the trusses, vertical pillars at each end of each beam, inclined braces connecting the upper ends of the same with the beam, openings formed in the upper ends of the braces and pillars, and an intermediate arched casting located at the apices formed by the braces and pillars and opposite pairs of endless cables,provided atintervalswithturn-buckles, said cables passing through the openings and over the arched castings between the pillars and braces and at the ends of the beams, the lower portions ot the cables passing under the trusses throughout the series and the upper portions of the cables through the openings formed in the upper plates of the beams and under the central truss of the series, substantially as speciiied.

et. In a suspension-bridge, the abutments and the opposite beams 2, arranged in pairs on each side of the bridge and the beams of each pair secured together, combined with the transverse trusses 6, arranged at intervals along the under side of the beam and secured thereto, and each truss being oblong in shape and maintained in its parallelism by crossbraces 7, the opposite pillars 13, arranged above the abutments, and the endless cables passing through openings at the top and bottom of the pillars, the top branch of the cable at each end ofthe bridge declining downward and passing through the space between the beams 2 ot each pair, so as to engage below the central truss of the bridge, while the bottom branch of the cable passes below each truss of the series, as set forth.

5. In a suspension-bridge, the abutments and the opposite beams 2, arranged in pairs on each side of the bridge and the beams of each pair secured together, combined with the transverse trusses (5, arranged at intervals along the under side of the beams and secured thereto, so that the ends of the trusses project beyond the pairs of beams and each IOC IIO

the central truss of the bridge, while the bottom branch of the cables passes below each truss of the series, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as I5 my own' I have hereto aixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMESY OLIVER HILL. Witnesses:

J. T. WRIGHT, ED B. KEEFE. 

